Paper clip dispensing and applying device



2 I E \K m N C. L. CHRISTENSEN PAPER CLIP DISPENSING AND APPLYING DEVICE Flled Aprll 27 1965 C. Lmcokn C-EWK'ISQHSQH Associates, Hurley, NX. 12443 Fiied Apr. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 451,237 Claims. (Cl. 29--212) This invention relates to a device for dispensing and applying paper clips to sheets of paper and particularly clips of the type having inner and outer legs terminating in loops, and with one of the legs of the clip of greater length than the other. Such clips are generally known as Gem clips.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clip dispensing and applying device of relatively simple construction and which will easily and effectively apply the clips to papers by the simple application of manual pressure applied to a handle on the device.

By means of a device of this kind, the need for separate clips, usually contained in desk drawers or elsewhere, and which become scattered about and often unavailable when needed, is eliminated. The device herein described applies the clips accurately and properly without the likelihood of damage to the papers to which the clips are applied. The construction of the device is simple and inexpensive and it can, if desired, be largely composed of molded and extruded plastic material and can be very easily assembled.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a container in which a stack of clips is housed. Means in the form of a slide is provided at the lower end of the container for successively sliding clips from the bottom of the stack by pressure imposed on a handle, and a properly-positioned cam or spreader engages against one of the legs of each clip as the clip is moved out of the container by the action of the slide and flexes the leg to distend it away from the other leg, whereby the clip may be slid over papers placed in the path of travel of the clip as it leaves the container under the propulsion of the slide.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a paper clip dispensing and applying device constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, with some parts fragmentarily shown, the view being taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section of a portion of the device, showing how a clip is applied to a number of papers, and

FIG. 4 shows the construction of one of the clips used in the device.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates generally the lower portion or base of the device. The same may be made of metal or it may be inexpensively made of a suitable plastic material. Fitted into the base and upstanding therefrom is a tubular clip container 2 providing a reservoir or chamber 4 for holding a stack 5 of the clips, one of such clips being shown in FIG. 4. It will be there seen that the clip is of a well known kind presently in wide use and generally known as a Gem clip. Such a clip is composed of a single length of wire doubled upon itself in a manner to provide two leg portions namely, a short or inner leg 32 and a longer outer leg 34. The short leg is disposed to lie within the longer leg 34 and in the same plane. The short or inner leg 32 terminates in a loop portion 33 while the longer outer leg 34 terminates in a loop Fine portion 35. Due to the difference in the length of the two legs, a space 36 is formed between the looped portions 33 and 35 of the respective legs.

The stack 5 of the clips deposited in the chamber 4 may consist of a substantial number of the clips arranged in superposed relation and maintained as a unitary package by being lightly bonded together by a readily fractured means such as a lacquer. The inside shape of the chamber 4 is of a contour to assure proper orientation of the clips when placed in the container and the container may, if desired, be composed of a transparent material so that its contents can be readily seen. A hinged or removable closure 3 is provided for the top of the container 2 and if such closure 3 is composed of plastic material the hinge may consist of a flexible strip or piece 5. When the closure 3 is raised the chamber 45 can be loaded with the clips through the open top of the chamber.

Pivotally attached at 8 to the container 2 adjacent to the top of the same is a handle or actuating lever 9. The lever 9 is formed at its lower end with a rounded terminal 19 engaging in an aperture 11 formed in a spring-biased slide 27. The slide moves in a groove in the base 1 and is notched at 21 in its forward end to engage with the rear end of each successive lowermost clip 6 taken from the stack 5. When the handle or lever 9 is manually pivotally moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, the handle will urge the lowermost clip 6 forwardly or toward the right in FIG. 1, to cause the short or inner leg 32 of the clip to be flexed away from the longer or outer leg 34 by means of a spreader 20, thereby permitting the entrance of papers 30 between the legs of the clip in the manner disclosed in FIG. 3 and as is presently explained in further detail.

The base 1 is closed at the bottom by a plate 15 fastened to the base by means of screws or drive pins 16, and rubber or similar feet 17, 18 are provided on which the device can be rested on a table, desk or other surface. The slide 27 is biased to an inoperative position shown in FIG. 1 by means of a coil spring 12 engaging a stud on the part 13 of the slide 27 and having its other end in contact with an abutment 14 on the forward portion 19 of the base.

When a stack of the clips is deposited in the reservoir or chamber 4 of the container 2, the lowermost clip in the stack, or that shown at 6 in FIG. 1, will come to rest on ledges 24 (FIG. 2) provided at the bottom of the container 2. The ledges are so formed and located that the clip 6 will be supported solely by the side portion of the outer and longer leg 34. Indicated at 20 is a cam which constitutes a spreader and said cam is formed as either a part of the base or as a part of a plate 22 (FIG. 2) attached to the base. The cam can be either a fixed element or it might be made movable to thereby spread the clip more than could be done by a fixed cam or the cam might be made to be moved out of the way during the latter part of the stroke for easier and smoother operation of the device. The cam or spreader is so located and arranged and formed that it enters into the space 36 between the inner leg 32 and the outer leg 34 of each clip when such clip comes to rest upon the supporting ledges 24. As will be cleariy seen in FIG. 3 the cam 20 is formed with an inclined face 37.

From the foregoing, the structure and operation of the improved paper clip dispensing and applying device will be apparent. When it is desired to attach one of the clips to a group of papers, the papers 30 are placed on the front portion 19 of the base 1 and are slid along the same until halted by a stop on the base. Wings or guide lugs '7 are provided on the base and they guide the papers so that the top sheet thereof is below clip level. The container and the handle or lever 9 is then grasped in the hand and the handle is squeezed to pivotally move it as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1. As the handle is thus swung forwardly or toward the container 2, it will move the slide 27 against the bias of the spring 12 in the same direction as handle movement and the slide in such movement will engage the end of the lowermost clip in the stack, breaking it free from the other clips in the stack and sliding it toward the right in FIG. 1 to start its movement out of the aperture 31.

As the clip is moved by the slide in the manner explained, the looped end terminal 33 of the inner and shorter leg 32 of the clip will contact with the inclined surface 37 of the cam or spreader 20. On contact with the cam or spreader 20 the inner leg of the clip will be flexed downwardly so that the clip will be opened more and more as the clip is forced against the spreader under the propulsion of the clip by the slide. The spreader travels between the inner loop and the outer leg and the clip then starts to slide over the papers 30. After the clip is in substantial embrace with the papers, the spreader passes the outer leg and over the rear loop of the clip and allows the clip to spring back and grip the papers. The spreader 20 may be formed as a part of the plate 22 attached to the body 1 or can be formed otherwise on the base 1 and provided with one or more apertures 28 if necessary to permit ready separation of it from the clips, or it might be made movable for the purposes heretofore mentioned.

After the clip engages with the papers 30 as above explained, the clipped papers are then removed and upon the release of pressure upon the handle 9 the return spring 12 pushes the handle back to starting position as shown in FIG. 1 and the next clip falls into position as shown at 6. The return stopping point for the slide 27 is determined by means of a lug 23 forced out of the bottom closure plate 15.

While I have herein suggested that the described device is particularly adapted for use with the specific type of paper clip illustrated, it will be apparent that by relatively simple modification, the device will be capable of use for the dispensing and application of numerous other types of clips. Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereo, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A paper clip dispensing and applying device comprising, a holder including a reservoir for containing a stack of clips, the clips each being a type having an inner short leg and an outer long leg defining a space between such legs, a fixed cam member entering into the space between the legs of the lowermost clip in the stack, a movable slide for engagement with one end of the said lowermost clip to move the same out of the holder and to bring the inner short leg of the clip against the fixed cam to move said leg downwardly and thereby cause flexure of said short leg and distend it downwardly and away from the long leg, a pivoted handle for moving the slide whereby a stack of sheets disposed in the path of movement of the clip will enter between the legs of the clip and the clip will thereby become attached to the sheets.

2. A paper clip dispensing and applying device as provided for in claim 1, wherein the clips in the stack are joined together by readily fractureable means permitting their successive separation by movements of the slide, the cam member being fixed relatively to the stack, the slide being spring-biased away from the bottom of the stack, and the leg of each clip flexed by contact with the cam being the short leg of the clip.

3. A paper clip dispensing device for clips of the Gem type in which the clip has a short leg and a longer leg, the legs defining a space between them, a holder including a chamber in which clips are arranged in a stack one above the other, the chamber having a bottom opening in which the lowermost clip in the stack positions itself, a fixed spreader located in said opening and positioned to cause it to enter into the space between the legs in the lowermost clip in the stack, said spreader having an inclined clip-contacting face directed toward the end of the short leg, a slide operative against an outer end of the longer leg of said lowermost clip to thereby urge the clip out of the chamber and bring its short leg against the inclined face of the fixed spreader as the clip is moved by the slide, the contact of the spreader with the short leg of the clip causing said short leg to be flexed away from the long leg of said clip to permit the clip to be slid over a stack of sheets by movement of the slide.

4. A paper clip dispensing and applying device comprising, a vertical tubular container for holding a stack of clips, means at the lower end of the container for supporting the stack, said means including ledges on which the clips are suspended only along their sides, a slide and means by which it is moved across the bottom of the stack, means on the slide for engaging successive lowermost clips in the stack at their rear ends and forcing them successively away from the stack, a paper rest upon which a stack of sheets to be clipped is supported in the path of travel of each of the clips as the clips are moved toward said sheets by the propulsion of the slide, a spreader in the form of a fixed, inclined cam surface provided on the paper rest and entering into each clip as each clip reaches the lowermost position in the stack, said spreader entering between the legs of each clip engaging against an inner part of each clip and acting to distend said part away from other parts of the clip as the clip is moved relatively to the fixed, inclined cam surface so that as the clip is moved over the sheets the sheets will enter between the distended part of the clip and other parts thereof and as the spreader leaves the clip, the clip will be retained by the sheets in gripping position thereon.

5. A paper clip dispensing and applying device comprising, a container for holding a stack of clips held in connected relation by a fracturable adhesive bond, a slide for breaking the bond to bring successive clips away from the remainder of the clips in the stack, and fixed cam means for spreading each clip as it is moved by the slide to thereby place such clip in receptive condition for a stack of sheets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,743 5/ 1939 Skreba 29-212 2,641,051 6/1953 Vick 29-211 2,833,028 5/1958 Treimann 29-212 2,835,027 5/1958 Phillips 29-211 3,100,932 8/1963 Pipkin 29-212 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner. THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. A PAPER CLIP DISPENSING AND APPLYING DEVICE COMPRISING, A HOLDER INCLUDING A RESERVOIR FOR CONTAINING A STACK OF CLIPS, THE CLIPS EACH BEING A TYPE HAVING AN INNER SHORT LEG AND AN OUTER LONG LEG DEFINING A SPACE BETWEEN SUCH LEGS, A FIXED CAM MEMBER ENTERING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE LEGS OF THE LOWERMOST CLIP IN THE STACK, A MOVABLE SLIDE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH ON END OF THE SAID LOWERMOST CLIP TO MOVE THE SAME OUT THE OF HOLDER AND TO BRING THE INNER SHORT LEG OF THE CLIP AGAINST THE FIXED CAM TO 